Bethany
by CSIsnickers101
Summary: Sequel to Fantastic - The daunting task of child birth is slowly approaching for Sara x


Bethany 

Disclaimer - I don't own CSI, trust me, you'd know if I did.

A/N: Hey y'all! Sorry, always wanted to say that. Anyway, here is a sequel to Fantastic. Can you tell I love sequels nearly as much as the pairing I always do them about? I hope you enjoy this, I enjoyed writing it, as I always do. By the way, italics in this one shot are for flashbacks. And, as always, this is dedicated to Bee, if the title wasn't obvious enough.

Sara sighed somewhat contently as she lay on the sofa, quite literally waiting for something to happen. Her due date was 4 days ago and after much discussion, some may call it arguing, Nick had finally convinced her that after his shift had finished she should have seriously considered going into hospital. She'd said that the hospital wouldn't have been able to do anything for her, and she definitely wasn't about to agree to a medically induced labour. Hence why she'd stayed at home for so long; she wanted her baby out. Now!

Nick could obviously sympathise with her, well, to a degree. He obviously didn't know what it was like to be pregnant, and much to Sara's dismay he never would, but he was just as anxious and excited to meet his son or daughter. They'd made a point not to find out the sex of their baby so that finding out on the day would just add to the excitement of it all. They'd tried to be prepared with the information that they knew; baby's needed a cot, a pushchair, some toys and clothes but mostly to be loved and cared for. And that was something Nick and Sara were pretty sure they could give to their child, if nothing else.

Sara, and of course Nick too, was relieved that the pregnancy had thus far gone without much of a hitch. Other than the fact her due date had been and gone and the baby still didn't want to budge. No complications, no scares, everything was normal. Which had helped Sara stay so calm despite the fact that her baby should be in her arms and not still inside her.

And one of the main highlights was getting to tell the rest of the team their happy news.

"_Sorry we're late," Sara said sheepishly as she and Nick walked into the break room cutting Grissom off mid-sentence in his briefing._

"_Yeah, we slept in," Nick added._

"_Sure you did," Greg rolled his eyes. "Somehow I doubt much sleeping was involved."_

_Sara shot Greg a glare as she sat down opposite him._

"_Anyway," Grissom butted in and brought everyone's attention back to himself. "Warrick, take Nick, explain to him on the way."_

_Warrick nodded._

"_Greg and Sara, a double homicide at the Tangiers," Grissom insisted as he handed over the assignment slip. "Brass will be meeting you there."_

"_Sweet," Greg smiled._

"_And Cath, we have a meeting to attend," Grissom shot her a half smile half smirk as she rolled her eyes. "See you guys later."_

"_Be careful," Nick whispered to Sara as he walked past her._

"_Aren't I always?" Sara winked._

_Nick smirked and gave her a 'you-know-exactly-what-I-mean' look. "Just… bear it in mind, would you, please."_

"_Of course, dear," Sara smiled as she and Greg walked away._

"_Bear what in mind, exactly?" Warrick asked once Sara and Greg were out of earshot. "Something I should know?"_

"_No, it's nothing that concerns you, yet," Nick insisted._

"_Okay," Warrick sighed, sceptically believing that Nick was right. And even if he were, Warrick was curious and didn't like being kept in the dark about things, especially things that concerned people he cared about._

_Later that shift:_

"_Good, I found you," Nick smiled as he leaned against the doorframe of one of the layout rooms, watching Sara as she sorted through some evidence._

"_I think we need to talk," Sara insisted as she removed her latex gloves. "You been getting an interrogation?"_

"_Not really, Warrick was just concerned that he needed to know what was going on," Nick explained. "And I told him he didn't, yet."_

"_But don't you think they do? Don't you think that we should tell them?" she asked. "I know we said that we'd wait a little while, at least 'til we'd told you're family but if I don't say something I just might explode. This is huge news, Nick. I kinda want to share it with them."_

"_Tell them then," Nick insisted as he walked over to her, put his hands on her hips and pulled her just that bit closer to him. "If you really want to tell them, I don't have any objections."_

"_I know, but it's not just my 'thing' to tell them, is it?" she questioned. "It's our thing. It's our baby."_

"_Baby?" Greg asked as he stood dumbfounded, his mouth wide open. "Did, did you just say…? Did you just say baby?"_

_Sara shrugged her shoulders and felt tears swelling up in her eyes. "I'm pregnant, Greg."_

"_Wow. Wow, was this the…," Greg tried to string a coherent sentence together but failed. "…earlier? Wow, congratulations."_

_Sara nodded, not trusting her voice for a moment as she was overwhelmed with emotions._

"_Thanks, Greggo," Nick smiled, before whispering to Sara. "I think we should people now, before Greg does that for us."_

And sure enough they did tell everyone else, slowly but surely as they talked to them for the rest of the shift. Nick threatened Greg that if he mentioned to even one single person, or insinuated anything at all, he would be in an early grave. Nick wanted to be the one to hold his head high as he heard Sara announce that they were expecting a baby together and except all the 'congratulations' and 'I'm so happy for you two' all at once, not at separate occasions throughout the coming shifts. He didn't want anyone speculating or listening to rumours about it; he wanted everyone to hear it from himself and Sara and no one else. And definitely not Greg.

That was 8 months ago now, and looking back Sara wouldn't have changed a single thing. She was glad that Greg was the first to find out and very proud of him that he hadn't said a word, even though she knew he would have wanted too, not out of spite or anything but because he was pleased for them. And thankfully he wasn't the only one pleased. Warrick had offered his congratulations and insisted if she needed anything, day or night, that she could call him. And if Nick was ever bugging her, that she could give a call then too and he'd sort him out. Catherine had started from the moment she found out remembering what it was like being pregnant herself with Lindsey and at every stage possible comparing notes with Sara. She didn't mind, she quite liked having an insight into what she was getting herself in for.

Sara knew next to nothing about babies. Which is therefore awkward and complicated when she came to carry her own. But, as ever, she was prepared to learn, and apparently there were next to a hundred different types of books that were willing to help her with that. And being a big believer in keeping the traditional and old fashioned book alive, Sara had no problem reading up on what she needed to know. Who knew so much was involved?

Nick at least had a slight insight. Or so he thought. He kinda figured that as a highly acclaimed and loved uncle being a dad would be few and far between. Okay, he had been just slightly ambitious. One night, when he had a day off and Sara was at work, Nick decided that as a father-to-be he deserved to read something to help him figure out what kind of style of dad he wanted to be. By morning, Nick had a different view on parenthood. The books had been a huge eye-opener for him. He suddenly realised that this baby, his baby, that would be making an appearance very soon was going to need his or hers mummy and daddy to give him or her absolutely everything; he or she would be completely dependent on them for everything. And that was daunting. What if he messed up?

After a long conversation in the morning, Nick and Sara managed to remain calm throughout most of what was left of the pregnancy. They knew it was likely that they could make mistakes, that they could screw their child up somehow, but it was also likely that they wouldn't, that their baby would turn out just fine, if not a little worse for wear.

Sara was just grateful it was nearly all over. So here she was, aching back, swollen ankles, extremely extended abdomen, more stretch marks than she dared to count, but she couldn't have been happier.

Well, she could have. She was waiting for the man she blamed on several occasions for all her current problems, which, is fair to say, it was half his fault, to come home with the ice-cream she'd been craving. And as always Nick took every outburst as they came and did the doting daddy-to-be thing and agreed with Sara's every word. It was because he loved her so much that he knew it was just her hormone levels that were the real issue, although he never was brave enough to tell her.

"I'm back," Nick announced as he stepped through the front door.

"What took you so long?" Sara moaned.

"Sorry, traffic was crazy, got stopped at every red light," Nick explained. "But you're ice-cream's still frozen. Kind of."

"Good," she smiled.

Nick went straight into the kitchen and grabbed two tablespoons and walked through to the living room. He sat down next to Sara and opened the mint choc-chip ice-cream for them both to eat. Sara made sure she had the first spoonful, smiling in delight as she satisfied her craving.

"Glad you like it," Nick chuckled and went in for a spoonful himself.

"Uh, I don't think so," Sara protested. "Get your own tub."

"I bought it, Sar, I can at least have a little bit," he pointed out.

"No, you can't," Sara argued. "You might think I'm doing this for my own health but trust me I'm not. I'm doing this for your baby."

"Fine, have the ice-cream," he shook his head, rolling his eyes. "But I'll just have to eat the big box of chocolates I bought for you."

"Chocolates?" Sara eyes widened. "You can have the ice-cream if you want, don't really want it anymore."

"Yeah, 'cause you want the chocolates," Nick shook his head. "Go on then, they're in the kitchen."

Sara sighed. "I love you." She leaned over carefully and kissed Nick on the cheek and staggered to stand up, before walking through to get those chocolates.

"I love how you only love me when I buy you chocolate," Nick chuckled.

"Oh, you know I love you all the time," she insisted. "I just love you more when you buy me chocolate."

"Can't say fairer than that."

Sara came back in sat lowered herself slowly down next to Nick again, with his help in the end. Once comfy and snuggled up together, Sara tucking in to the chocolates and Nick gently rubbing Sara's large baby bump, praying for their baby to hurry up and make an appearance. Waiting was getting frustrating.

"Argh," Sara grunted as she stood up. "I bought something I wanted to show you."

Nick couldn't help but laugh as she waddled around furniture and made her way into their bedroom. Nick had insisted that as soon as the lease in her apartment was up that Sara should move in with him, sooner rather than later, so they could get everything ready for their new arrival. And because he wanted to keep a very close eye on her; knowing that she rarely looked after herself, he was looking forward to getting to spoil his two girls.

Two girls? They hadn't actually found out whether they were having a boy or a girl so he was just speculating. Personally he didn't mind which they had, he felt he could be a good dad to either, teach him or her things that dads are suppose to teach their children. He was just tired of waiting now; he could only imagine how Sara was feeling.

"Ahhh!" Sara screamed from the bedroom. "Nick!"

Nick quickly found his feet, jumped up from the couch and ran though to the bedroom to find Sara leaning against a chest of drawers with one hand and her other hand on her abdomen.

"What?" Nick asked, readying himself to jump into action as soon as the words they both wanted to hear so badly escaped Sara's lips.

"My waters broke," she cried. "The baby's coming!"

"Are you sure?" Nick asked, in a somewhat panicked voice.

Sara could only glare at him, and then grimace when she felt a the beginning's of a contraction. "Oh yeah, I'm in labour alright."

"Right, um…," he sighed. "We, we prepared for this, we planned for this, we need to…"

"Get me to the friggin' hospital!" Sara exclaimed.

"Just what I was about to say," Nick insisted before moving over to support Sara, taking her free hand in his. "I'll get you to the car, I'll come back and get your bag and then we'll be gone. That okay?"

Sara nodded. "Just… hurry. I need pain relief. Now."

Nick didn't waste any time at all. He did exactly as he said he would, although he did over think and panic at one stage when he couldn't find the readily packed bags but then he was fine again. He tried to do his best and support Sara, reassure her, but that was proving difficult.

"But how do you know that everything is going to be okay? How do you… how do you know we're not going to screw this kid up?" Sara asked as another contraction took over her body. They were swiftly getting faster and more painful.

Let's just say, Nick was more than happy when they pulled into Desert Palms hospital, parked the car and made their way inside and straight over to the receptionist.

"Can I help you, sir?" asked the polite brunette at the desk.

"Um, yeah, I really hope so. See, it's my girlfriend; she's in labour," Nick explained.

"Sure, I can help," the receptionist nodded. "Take the lift, go to the third floor, through the double doors to the nurses station and they'll help you from there."

"Thanks," Nick sighed.

"Oh, and take a wheelchair," the receptionist added, pointing to just left of the entrance. "She'll need it."

Nick nodded before he walked away to get a wheelchair. He then walked over to Sara, who had been supporting herself on a railing near the door the whole time, to get her to agree to letting him roll her to where they needed to go. Sara didn't even hesitate for a second as she lowered herself down.

"I can manage," she snapped at Nick as tried to lend a hand.

"Sorry," he smiled sheepishly.

"Just… take me to where we're suppose to go," Sara insisted.

"Yes ma'am," Nick nodded and took her up in the elevator until they got to the correct floor.

Once on the third floor, the nurses where already waiting. The receptionist must have called ahead; they got Sara settled straight away into a room and had Nick fill out all the appropriate forms and paperwork.

*Knock, knock*

"How you feeling?" Nick asked as he poked his head round Sara's hospital room door. "You okay?"

"Absolutely fantastic," Sara glared. "I'm in the first stages of labour, and I've been told it only gets worse."

"Yeah," Nick gulped, wondering why he'd asked such a stupid question. "Right."

"But, on the plus side, this'll all be over soon," she attempted a smile. "And we'll have a beautiful little boy or little girl as a result. So it'll all be worth it."

Several hours later:

"Ahhhh," Sara screamed through another contraction. "How much longer is this gonna take?"

"It's not like you have to be anywhere," Nick commented.

Sara gave him her best death glare she could manage at that moment in time.

"You're getting there, Sara," the midwife smiled. "You shouldn't have too much longer to wait for this baby of yours."

"You said that 2 hours ago," she winced as another contraction hit.

"I know she did but just hang on in there, Sar," Nick sighed, taking her hand again. "You said it yourself; it'll all be worth it."

Sara nodded. He was right. She hated to admit it but he was right. It would be worth of the pain and the 9 months of waiting when she hears her baby cry for the first time, when she first holds her baby in her arms and swears to never let him or her go.

"Ahhhh," she yelled again, this time squeezing Nick's hand so tight his knuckles went white.

"That's… that's my hand," Nick bit his lip so that he didn't show how strongly she was holding onto him.

"Oh, sorry. That hurt?" Sara asked sarcastically. "You should try child birth and then tell me how much that hurts."

The midwife couldn't help but chuckle to herself. Never would listening to couples in the delivery room ever bore her.

"Bethany," Nick said simply, ignoring her last comment.

"Excuse me?" Sara raised an eyebrow.

"Bethany," Nick repeated. "What do you think of the name Bethany if we have a girl?"

"Ahhh," Sara yelled out again. "Do we have to have this conversation now?"

"Oh, um, no, of course not," he shook his head. "Yeah, it can, it can wait."

"Good," Sara nodded, wincing again, praying for her baby to hurry up and come already. "This baby is as stubborn as you."

"Me, stubborn?" he raised an eyebrow. "You think I'm the stubborn one?"

"Ahhhh!"

"Yeah, you really don't have time to argue now," the midwife insisted.

Nick nodded and turned his attention back to Sara. "So what do you think of the name Bethany? Do you like it? Hate it? What?"

"Really?" Sara questioned. "You want to know now?"

"I'm just thinking here, coming up with suggestions," Nick defended himself. "I happen to like the Bethany. I thought you would too."

"Ahhh," Sara cried out. "Yeah, yeah, it's, it's okay."

"Just okay? What's wrong with it?" he asked.

"Nick!" she snapped as another contraction hit; they were getting faster and more frequent. "Not now okay!"

"Yep, right, in the middle of having a baby," he shrugged and finally understood that asking questions whilst Sara was in labour wasn't the best of ideas.

"I can see the head," the midwife announced.

"See, your nearly there," Nick insisted. "Come on, you can do this. Just a few more pushes."

"No," Sara croaked out as she burst into tears. "No, no I can't. I can't do this."

"Yes you can," he argued. "You can do this. You can. Do it for Bethany."

"Nick!"

"Just think about it," he smiled, trying lighten up the mood.

"Right, on my count, Sara, I want you to push," the midwife instructed. "Ready? One. Two..."

"No, I can't," she shook her head.

"You can," Nick protested. "Come on, one more big push."

"That's easy for you to say," she winced again.

"One. Two. Three," the midwife counted for the second time. "Push!"

"Ahhhh," Sara's scream came out thick and strong at first but was then masked by the cries of a newborn baby taking her first breath.

"It's a girl," the midwife announced as she took the newborn away to get cleaned up and measured quickly so Sara could hold her.

"So, how about we call her Bethany?" Nick smirked. "It just… came to me."

Sara couldn't help but laugh at him, partly out of relief that it was all over. She just had a baby to look after now. Piece of cake.

After much discussion, Sara did in fact love the name Bethany. From the moment she first lay eyes on her, Sara knew Bethany was perfect. Her middle name, however was slightly more tricky. But by the end of their one day stay in hospital, Bethany Paige Stokes was more than ready to go home and teach her parents a thing or two.

Thank you for reading. Well, there you go, part three done and dusted. Please don't forget to tell me what you thought of this one. Review please.


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